The present invention relates to a molding unit for use with an automobile, and more particularly, the invention relates to a molding unit which can perfectly seal a clearance between a windshield and an automobile body and which can be used even when the gap height between the outside surface of the windshield and the outside surface of the roof panel of the automobile body is different from that between the outside surface of the windshield and the outside surface of the front pillar of the automobile body.
The conventional molding unit for use with an automobile generally comprises a molding body which is installed in a clearance between the circumferential edge of the windshield and the automobile body and which has a leg portion to be inserted into the clearance, an outer covering portion contactable with the automobile body and an inner covering portion contactable with the windshield, and fasteners positioned in the clearance and mounted on the body by adhesive or double sided tape. The fasteners engage the leg portion of the molding body to fixedly support the molding body in the clearance.
Such a conventional molding unit is found, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication Nos. 63-32915 and 63-32916.
Japanese Publication No. 63-32915 discloses a molding unit of which the molding body has a weir portion to downwardly lead rainwater therealong. The weir portion is formed by partly removing the inner covering portion of the molding body along the front pillar of the automobile body.
A problem usually associated with the prior art molding unit as described in Japanese Publications No. 63-32915 is that such a molding unit is not adaptable when the gap height between the outside surface of the windshield and the outside surface of the front pillar of the automobile body is greater than that between the outside surface of the windshield and the outside surface of the roof panel of the automobile body, because in the molding body corresponding to the front pillar, a clearance is formed between the inner covering portion of the molding body and the outer surface of the windshield, causing entry of rainwater into the clearance between the circumferential edge of the windshield and the automobile body.
Another problem usually associated with the prior art molding unit as described in Publication No. 63-32915 is that the molding body exhibits undesirable awkward appearance because the inner covering member of the molding body is partly removed to form the weir portion.
The Japanese Publication No. 63-32916 discloses a molding unit of which the molding body has a weir member to downwardly lead rainwater therealong. The weir member is independently formed and is bonded to the inner covering portion of the molding body along the front pillar of the automobile body.
A problem usually associated with the prior art molding unit as described in Japanese Publications Nos. 63-32916 is that the molding body requires increased working time to be formed because the weir member has to be independently formed and subsequently has to be bonded to the inner covering portion of the molding body along the front pillar.
Another problem usually associated with the prior art molding unit as described in Publication No. 63-32916 is that the molding body exhibits undesirable awkward appearance because the inner covering member of the molding body is bonded with the weir member along the front pillar.